I had the incredible honor of meeting Mr. Andimba Toivo ya Toivo yesterday. I knew I would be meeting him, but when I entered his office, I became overwhelmed with emotion. We were shaking hands and it would have been appropriate for me to say my name, but I couldn't get it out. He asked me my name, and I was SPEECHLESS!!! For those who know me, you will realize that this doesn't happen.....ever! I was so overcome, I struggle to get "Deborah" out. He asked me my family name, and it took what seemed like a lifetime to finally say "Robinson". Ndilipo Shikomba, the daughter of former SWAPO life prisoner Gaus Shikomba who is taking me around and her friend Amelia, were probably very surprised at my reaction. I was also, but it was an incredible honor for me to meet one of the founders of SWAPO. He was the former SWAPO Secretary General and one of the great leaders of Namibia. After my initial emotional response I was fine and we spent at least an hour talking, taking pictures and joking around. If THAT weren't enough, later in the day, he invited me and Ndilipo to dinner with his family and friends at a restaurant!! Yesterday was an incredible day!here to edit.

I was in KwaMashu yesterday with Mrs. Miriam Cele; the woman who, in 1989, took me to visit the families of the life prisoners in the townships outside of Durban. There was tremendous political violence then, and it continues even now. This morning, I read in The Mercury newspaper that two men were murdered and one woman injured in KwaMashu over the weekend. A gunman shot the man and woman through a window in their home. The man had defected from the IFP (Inkhata Freedom Party) and joined the ANC last month. Another man was shot and killed an hour later while walking in an alley. Seven people have been killed and 3 injured in this township since the beginning of the year. It is rumored that there is a political hit list out on 3 NFP (National Freedom Party) and 3 ANC members. The brother of one of the men killed said, "It's out of control. Suspects, in many cases, end up not being arrested and cases fizzle out... peace needs to be restored fast." All of this reminds me of when I was walking through the Hammersdale township in 1989. Mrs. Cele was telling me that there had been and is tremendous violence in that area. It was quiet when were we walking around and I didn't understand how it could be so violent. She said, "It is quiet now, but just wait until dark; that's when all the violence occurs." Violence, particularly in this part of the country, is expected on only increase in the run up to the national elections on 7 May.